A STATISTICAL INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPECIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABLES OF MALACOFAUNA IN FEEDING STREAMS OF SAPANCA LAKE (TURKEY)

Abstract

To understand the relationship between water quality and species composition of streams and to evaluate the effects of water pollution and climate change, mollusks are widely used in ecology. In this study, we investigated the malacofauna in feeding streams of Sapanca Lake, and the relationship between species and environmental variables. This study was conducted at Ma ukiye, Yanik, Kurtkoy, Mahmudiye and Istanbul streams that are feeds of Sapanca Lake between January 2015- September 2015. A total of 7 taxa which is including one taxon from Prosobranchia (Valvata naticina) and six taxa from Pulmonata (Ancylus fluviatilis, Physella acuta, Radix labiata, Radix ovata, Planorbis planorbis and Planorbarius corneus) were reported. All of them were reported from the area for the first time. Also, some physicochemical parameters (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, electrical conductivity, pH, nitrite, nitrate, phosphate, total phosphorus, flow rate, depth, and width) were analyzed. According to CCA results, electrical conductivity is the most important environmental parameter affecting the distribution of the determined species. Alpha and beta diversity indices showed that the richest and poorest streams were Mahmudiye Stream and Istanbul Stream, respectively. Obtained results from the relationship between species and environmental variables showed that the investigated streams are no dangerous dimension in terms of water pollution but there is a possibility of pollution on the streams. For this reason, it is necessary to take precautions for these streams.